Marcus Trescothick comfortable with decision to reprieve Ben Duckett
Mark Wood produced a thrilling display of fast bowling to help England blow away Australia on the first day of the third Ashes Test at Headingley but the match is in the balance as the hosts reply.
The quick bowler, playing his first Test of the summer, produced a hostile opening spell before cleaning up the Australian tail to finish with a first Test five-for on English soil.
But Mitchell Marsh met fire with fire, producing a magnificent run-a-ball hundred to rescue Australia after four early wickets. The all-rounder’s ton was the fastest by an Australian on English soil since Victor Trumper in 1902, but his dismissal on the stroke of tea precipitated an extraordinary collapse of six for 23 as Wood tore through the lower order.
The Durham rocketman’s five-for-34 led the way to curtail Australia’s innings at 263 all out. Follow all the live action below from Headingley as England face Australia:
England vs Australia – third Ashes Test, day two
Show latest update
England 98/5 (29), Moeen Ali 5, Ben Stokes 10, Mitchell Starc 1-24 (10) (trail by 166)
Ben Stokes falls to all fours, down in a yoga pose as Mitchell Starc slams one into his back thigh pad. The England captain levers himself back up, shaking off the pain. Ten off 30 balls for Stokes so far with Australia’s accuracy keeping him in check.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 July 2023 11:53
NOT OUT! England 97/5 (28), Moeen Ali 5, Ben Stokes 10, Scott Boland 0-21 (6) (trail by 166)
Phwoar – that’s mighty, mighty tight. It stays not out after being umpire’s call on impact, Stokes saved by an extra stride down to just, just get outside the line of off stump. Australia retain the review – you can completely understand Kumar Dharmasena’s doubt given Stokes’s sashay down but that was slamming into the middle of middle and very nearly a third wicket of the morning.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 July 2023 11:49
England 97/5 (27.4 ), Moeen Ali 5, Ben Stokes 10, Scott Boland 0-21 (5.4) (trail by 166)
A switch of ends for Scott Boland, getting it to jag extravangtly from a length past Moeen Ali.
Ben Stokes uses his feet to try and knock Boland’s metronome off time – but he’s struck on the pad advancing and Australia fancy a review…
Harry Latham-Coyle7 July 2023 11:45
England 95/5 (27), Moeen Ali 4, Ben Stokes 10, Mitchell Starc 1-24 (9) (trail by 168)
Appreciable swing for Mitchell Starc for the first time this morning, Ben Stokes following it well and guiding to the fielder at deep point.
A short leg and two back for Moeen, who is a happy hooker, but still four in the cordon, too. Nose and toes from Starc, Moeen dipping out of the way of the short ball and then flicking an attempted yorker down to fine leg.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 July 2023 11:41
England 92/5 (26), Moeen Ali 2, Ben Stokes 9, Pat Cummins 3-38 (10) (trail by 171)
Australia are sure to go at Moeen Ali’s perceived weakness against the short ball on this quick pitch, Pat Cummins throwing in an early bumper which Moeen sways smoothly out of the way of. Seven does feel a little high for a man with only two Test fifties in his last 39 innings. England need him to fire today.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 July 2023 11:38
England 88/5 (25), Moeen Ali 1, Ben Stokes 8, Mitchell Starc 1-20 (8) (trail by 174)
England’s batting order looks a little longer with Chris Woakes at eight, but neither he nor Moeen Ali, newly to the crease, have much in the way of recent red-ball batting to draw upon. Moeen flicks his first ball to the square leg sweeper for one.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 July 2023 11:32
OUT! Jonny Bairstow c Smith b Starc 12 (37b 2×4 0x6), England 87/5 (24.3)
A wide tempter and Jonny Bairstow can’t resist a chase!
Jeepers, England are in the mire here. It’s soft from Bairstow, Mitchell Starc pushing one across him and seeing if he fancies it. An impetuous slash, a thin edge taken by a leaping second slip – England have lost two in the first half hour.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 July 2023 11:27
England 87/4 (24.2), Jonny Bairstow 12, Ben Stokes 7, Mitchell Starc 0-18 (8.2), trail by 176
There was a bit of hoop late last night under lights for Mitchell Starc. No overheads for him to work with today, and his first two balls to Jonny Bairstow plough straight on into the middle of a blocking bat.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 July 2023 11:26
England 87/4 (24), Jonny Bairstow 12, Ben Stokes 7, Pat Cummins 3-35 (9), trail by 176
A pleasant hum from the Headingley crowd this morning, the ground packed to the rafters for what should be a grand day out.
Tidy again from Pat Cummins. At the other end, there’ll be a change – Mitchell Starc is limbering up for some left-arm fast.
Meanwhile, they are having some funny at Jonny Bairstow’s expense in the NRL:
Harry Latham-Coyle7 July 2023 11:24
England 86/4 (23), Jonny Bairstow 11, Ben Stokes 7, Scott Boland 0-19 (5), trail by 177
Australia have started without their usual sweepers square of the wicket. Jonny Bairstow cuts straight to the man at backward point but beats him next ball off the front foot, the Western Terrace clapping as a crisp square drive comes towards them.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 July 2023 11:19